A couple posts mentioned the question of what we will be like in Heaven. My question has more to do with Hell. You see, I'm reading Dante's Inferno in my Intro to Lit Studies class and it got me wondering. I know that when I have tried discussing the subject of Heaven vs. Hell with some non-believing friends, they have declared that hell sounds better -- more fun. Especially after reading the Inferno, I have to disagree (sinners are boiled in tarr, are forced to march with steel robs, and burn in flames eternally). My question is: What do you think Hell is like? Dante believed that Hell had different levels, different punishments, for different sins. Do you agree? Not a very pleasant subject, so if you want to include your thoughts about heaven, it'd probably be appreciated...
posted by Ruth at 8:22 PM
3 Comments:
I like to believe that there are different levels in hell, because people who are mass murders should be punished more harsly. Now if that would be so that would suggest that the Satan is merciful in having different levels of hell. Now connecting mercy to Satan is not common thing to say. I do believe that no matters if there are levels or not, hell will be uplesant. Than on the flip side would that mean that heaven has different levels too? If so than everything would be based on what works we do. What do people have to say about this?
Ya, that's what I was wondering about too... If hell has different levels for different deeds done in life, could heaven too? But then again, once we sin even once aren't we guilty of breaking all the commandments? However, wouldn't people be punished differently according to who they are? (One type of punishment might be less of a punishment to another person...) Then again, does that mean that heaven will be different for all of us because we are all different? I guess we'll find out sooner or later, but it really puzzles me right now...
Is hell a punishment? If so, who imposes it? Satan? But he's a creature under punishment, too, right? God? Maybe so, although that raises all kinds of questions. What about C.S. Lewis's idea that in a sense we choose hell for ourselves? If someone chooses the self over God throughout life--which is what sin is, really--when God sends that person to hell, God is just giving him what he wants. And if hell is a state of complete self-absorption and the absence of God and others, the idea of different levels of hell just drops away. What do you think?
Post a Comment
<< Home